Things to do to stay slim in November
Wednesday 11 November 2009
Christmas is almost here, but don’t feel tempted to blow the diet just yet! You can still shape up your body in time for your favourite party dress.
Rather than use the dark days and nights as an excuse for becoming a couch potato, stay active – you should end up feeling better as well as looking better!
Here are some things that you can do in the month of November to help you stay slim and healthy!
Try ice skating
This festive activity will definitely get you in the mood for Christmas, if you don’t mind falling on your bum a few times!
Not only is ice skating fun and exhilarating, but, this aerobic exercise can also give you a superior cardiovascular workout, which can contribute to healthy weight loss.
You can potentially burn up to 350 calories an hour, increase your physical stamina, and tone your muscles. So get your skates on and find a local skating rink now!
Get involved in Children In Need
BBC Children in Need is great national event to get involved in, so why not tie in your workouts with a good cause?
A sponsored run or walk for a charity is not only a great calorie burning opportunity but can prove very rewarding as you know you’re doing it for a worthy cause.
Local communities organise them every year and they are easy to join with no restrictions for age or ability. So get sign up and make a change to your waistline and the world!
Warm up with a sauna
This is a traditional practice with lots of modern day fans – the sweat your body produces in a sauna is said to help your body eliminate toxins and de-stress.
What’s more, the steam speeds up your heart rate by 50-75% in a 20-minute session allowing your body to burn up to 300 calories, which is the equivalent to going for a long walk.
This is handy for speeding up your metabolism and helping you burn fat. As an added plus, the sauna will also give your skin a boost, as the heat opens your pores, making it all ready for a deep cleanse afterwards!
Try cooking some healthy comfort food
Low in carbs and high in protein, a tasty winter soup will warm you up and fill you up.
For those cold winter days why not try this healthy vegetable and lentil soup?
Ingredients
1 tsp vegetable oil
1 onion, diced
1 carrot, chopped
4 cups vegetable stock
1 cup dry lentils
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp dried thyme
2 bay leaves
A pinch of salt
1 tbsp lemon juice
Method
In a large pot, fry the onions and carrot in the vegetable oil for 3-5 minutes until onions turn clear.
Add the vegetable broth, lentils, chopped carrot, pepper, thyme, bay leaves and salt and reduce heat to a simmer.
Cover and cook until the lentils and carrots are soft, about 45 minutes. Remove bay leaves and stir in lemon juice before serving.
If you’re not a fan of lentils, take advantage of the vegetables that are in season at the moment – there are pumpkins, squashes and root vegetables such as swede in the supermarket, all of which make for delicious soups!